I know that fruitcake gets a bad rap. It is often the dreaded gift for people to receive at Christmas time. But, until you try this fruitcake, you've not tried fruitcake before! Please note: I doubled the following recipe, which resulted in eight fruitcakes.
Ingredients:
16 oz. package whole, shelled pecans (set aside 16 for decoration)
3/4 lb. chopped candied pineapple
3/4 lb. red whole candied cherries (set aside 12 for decoration)
3/4 lb. green whole candied cherries
1 lb. golden raisins
candied pineapple rings
honey
½ lb. softened butter
2½ c. granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 oz. rum flavoring
2 T. brandy
4 c. flour
1 t. nutmeg
1½ t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
Apricot brandy
Handi-wipes reusable cloths
Quart-sized Ziploc bags
Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until soft and fluffy. Add one egg at a time until incorporated into mixture. Add rum flavoring and brandy.
Sift flour with nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to the creamed mixture in the stand mixer.
By hand, fold in fruit and nuts. Evenly separate this mixture into four 8x3x2 foil loaf pans that have been sprayed with non-stick coating.
Allow cakes to cool completely overnight. The fruitcakes need to soak in apricot brandy. Although my mother used sheets, I prefer to use Handi-wipes. Pour several inches of apricot brandy into a 9x13 cake pans. Add four Handi-wipes and allow to soak until the cloths are completely saturated.
Remove the fruit cakes from their pans. Wrap each fruit cake with a brandy-soaked cloth. Then wrap the cake in a piece of aluminum foil, then place in a quart-sized Ziploc bag. Store in a cool, dry place such as your refrigerator. Allow to soak at least three weeks until cutting and eating. I typically prepare these around Thanksgiving so they are ready in time for Christmas. Additional candied fruit such as lemon or orange peel can be used if desired.
Yields 4 fruitcakes.
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